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Indian church planter kidnapped and imprisoned

A church planter in Orissa State, India, who was on his way to a training meeting, has been kidnapped and imprisoned by local authorities, reports Michael Ireland, chief correspondent, ASSIST News Service.

According to Empart, an international non-profit church planting organization, Kusulia is a church planter in Orissa, faithfully serving the Lord in his tribal village.

Empart says Kusulia has been not only sharing the gospel with the people in his village but also helping the local community with health education and teaching children to read and write.

On January 29, 2010 Kusulia was traveling to a local monthly meeting with other church planters.

As he got off the bus, he was confronted by the local police. “Are you Kusulia?” they asked. As soon as he responded “Yes”, they arrested him and threw him into a police vehicle.

Kusulia asked police: “Why are you doing this?”

The Empart report says Kusulia asked again and again, explaining that he was a Christian worker and showing them his Bible.

An officer told Kusulia: "We know you are a terrorist…keep quiet.”

In recent times, anti-Christian groups in Orissa have been making false accusations against Christians by using new government terrorist laws to persecute them.

Once a person is accused of being a terrorist, they have very few legal privileges and are treated very badly. Most lawyers are unwilling to help a "terrorist."

The meeting Kusulia was due to attend was with other church planters in the area who work with Empart.

When Kusulia failed to attend the meeting, Empart leaders realized that something was terribly wrong.

Empart says none of the workers would ever miss an opportunity to train, worship together and support each other, unless they were in serious danger.

They soon learned that someone had filed a false report with the police, claiming that Kusulia was a member of a terrorist group called Naxalite (an Indian Maoist group).

Empart leaders have been to the police station and made every effort to prove that Kusulia is not a terrorist, but the police are refusing to accept their evidence.

Kusulia is still in police custody.

Empart says: "Please pray for his protection and peace for his family and church. Please also pray for the protection of other church planters in Orissa from similar allegations and persecution so they can boldly proclaim God’s word to those who have never heard the gospel. Like it says in Acts 4:29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

Empart works with local church planters in transforming un-reached communities in Asia by training local people to start churches in their local communities.

"Our vision is to plant 100,000 churches in un-reached areas by 2030- restoring, releasing and resourcing them to fulfill the Great Commission, through partnership with the global body of Christ, the group says.

Since 1998, Empart has been changing lives for eternity. Millions of unloved children, desperate women and disadvantaged communities are finding hope and hearing about Jesus for the first time through Children’s Homes, Literacy Programs and micro business training run through local churches.

The group adds that the legal cost of trying to prove the innocence of its fellow Christians in these situations is high.